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Offensive struggles attributed to over-aggression

Offensive struggles attributed to over-aggression

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By Ian McCue
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MLB.com |

DENVER -- In the midst of their worst losing streak in three years, the most glaring issue for the Giants has been an inability to produce runs.

San Francisco, which has lost six straight and eight of nine, has scored only four runs over its last three games and posted two runs or fewer in five of the six losses. As a team, the Giants were hitting a measly .219 with a .272 on-base percentage since the streak began entering play Sunday.

Manager Bruce Bochy has attributed much of those offensive struggles to his players pressing at the plate, getting overly aggressive and biting on pitches they would usually sit on in an exaggerated effort to break the slump.

"There's a happy medium in there," first baseman Brandon Belt said. "You want to be patient, but you want to be aggressive with pitches in the zone. So if you get a pitch in the zone, you got to be all in, you got to be fully confident that you're going after the one you want to go after. When you do that, you kind of set yourself up to be more successful.

But it's any professional hitter's natural instinct to try to try to pick each other up by being even more aggressive in the batter's box, something the Giants are fighting as they try to return to their old, more patient ways.

"That's where the problem comes in sometimes, because you'd think you sit back in wait, you're kind of setting yourself up for failure," Belt said. "When in all actuality you're just waiting for a good pitch to hit."

While Bochy has said pressing at the plate can often be contagious, Belt pointed out that the reverse, more positive trend can also come true. If a handful of hitters strick to their usual approach and rediscover a groove, teammates may follow

"You get somebody who sticks with their approach and starts hitting, you get some of those hits to fall in and people just kind of follow along the way," Belt said. "So, hopefully we get that started."

Ian McCue is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.